Ments



(No Model.)

W. A. MESTAYER 8v; H'. PINCUS.

THBATRIGAL APPARATUS.

Patented Apg.

FIG,2,

D Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLIAM A. MESTAYER, OF NEW YORK', N. Y., AND HENRY PINOUS, OF

PHILADELPHIA, PA., ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TOTHERFSA VAUGHN MESTAYER, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

TH EATRICAL APPARATUS.

EPECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,893, dated April26, 1887.

Application filed March 1, 1887. Serial No. 229,271. (No model.) i

To all 'LU/1,0771, it may concern.-

Beit known that we, lWILLIAM A. MEsTAY- ER, of New York, N. Y., andHENRY PINoUs, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented anImprovement in Theatrical Apparatus, of4

scend, and stop in full view of the audience. It may then be drawn upagain by the actorsto the top of the slide and the operation repeated.On account of the limited space given upon a stage it is necessary, bymeans of peculiar mechanism, to control the motion of the toboggan orits slide or carriage, so that, although a great apparent Velocity maybe given in descending the inclined plane, the speed may be slackenedand the toboggan stopped in any desired position or part of the stage inthe line of its travel. This we accomplish by means of an inclined planeor slide, which may vary in length or inclination to snit thecharacteristics of the stage upon which it is to be used. The top ofthis trough may be made level in imitation of an ordinary tobogganslideand to give a resting-place for the toboggan before it is started. Theinclined plane is also continued on a substantial level with the stageat the end of the incline. Fitting upon this incline is a slideorcarriage adapted to receive the toboggan, which slide or carriage andinclined plane are concealed from the view of the audience bythe scenewhich is infront, and are made to conform to the inclined plane on thesides. This slide or carriage may be provided with runners or rollers,and the bottom of the inclined plane may be made of polished wood orsoapstone, or soapstone may be sprinkled on the wooden rails, or anyother means may be employed to reduce the friction between the slide andthe surface of the inclined plane. The Slide or carriage may be fastenedby a rope'or cable to a windlass, which is provided with a crank andbrake. By means of the windlass the toboggan or supporting slide orcarriage may be drawn up to the top of the inclined plane. By means ofthe brake the velocity of descent may be controlled and the slide orcarriage stopped at the proper instantA without the least care on thepart of the actors thereon. This is particularly advantageous, as itwould be more or less dangerous to rely on the actors on the descendingtoboggan to operate a brake or other contrivance to arrest their travel.The slide or carriage may be made to automatically run up the inclined iplane by a suitable counter-balance after the toboggan and its load havebeen removed from it, and in its upward travel or ascent it is hiddenfrom view of the audience by the scene, and all parts being paintedwhite, detection is not readily accomplished. The tobogganists,'

after leaving the slide, come to the front of the stage and occupy theattention of the audience while the carriage or slide is ascending.

` There is a large number of ways of accomplishing the result-,and we donot limit ourselves to any specific construction, except so much as isnecessary to adapt the apparatus to scenic effects upon a theatricalstage.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on line x x of Fig.4, looking from the rear of the stage. Fig. 2 is afront view of theapparatus from the auditorium of the theatre, showing the actorsplaying. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the toboggan removed from itsslide. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the apparatus on line y y of Fig. l.Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modification, showing the toboggan andslide incorporated into one structure and disconnectable from the rope.Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified system for controlling the descentof the toboggan. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a portion of same,showing how the slide is supported by the rope and yet disconnectabletherefrom; and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a toboggan on rollers andprovided with hand-brakes to arrest its travel.

A is the inclined plane, having an upper horizontal part, B, and a lowerhorizontal or slightly inclined part, O, the incline in which part C isthe inverse of that of part A. These IOO . Fig. 6.

`\ ready removal of the slide or toboggan.

parts are made in sections D, detachably secured together,whereby thestructure may be dismantled for shipment. The inclined plane is providedwith two rails, A A, having side guards, a a, between which and upon therails the slide or carriage G-rnns. The slide G is preferably made of aflat board or frame having runners g g, which rest upon rails A', and toreduce the friction on the inclined part A soapstone may be used, or therails or iioor of the inclined plane may be made entirely of soapstone.The slide G is connected to a rope, II, which is wound upon a windlass,I,having a shaft, i, to which a hand-crank, J, is secured. The windlassisalso provided with a brake,V K, which may be controlledby thehand-lever 7c to arrest the rotation of the Windlass when the slide G isdescending the incline. Rollers L may be used to support the rope as itis drawn out by the descending `slide.

The slide is allowed to descend by gravity without resistance,accelerating its speed in a most natural manner; but when it reaches thebottom the operator appliesthe brake K and arrests the vpaying out ofthe cable or rope,and consequently the slide and its living burden also.The upward incline, C, is designed to impart to the audience the ideathat the stopping of the traveling toboggan or its slide is due to thiscause. l

The slide G may havev pins G upon it,which t into holes m in thetoboggan M when the latter is made separable from the slide or carrage;or. any other suitable connection may be made to hold the toboggan tothe slide or carriage in its descent. When the bottom of the inclineisreached the toboggan is lifted up, leaving the slide G, which ispulled up again by turning the crank J or automatically by a weight, h,acting directly upon the cord H or 'upon the windlass.-

The frameD andincline plane audits slide are shielded from view of theaudience by a scene, E, having its upper edge substantially conformingto the inclined plane. The scene E is between the audience and inclinedplane, and scene F is behind the inclined plane, an effect substantiallyas indicated in Fig. 2 being produced.

Y In place of the slide upon runners a carriage may b e used uponrollers g, as indicated in Fig. 5, and such carriage may be made in theform of a toboggan and be disconnectable with the rope H by a link, H3,and couplingpin N.

an endless rope may be used, as indicated in In this case it would beprovided with stops or knots II', (see Fig. 7,) against which thedescending slide or carriage rests through the mediation of catches H2.This enables the The cable or rope would have its travel controlled asin the other case, but it would always travel in the same direction.

In place of using a. rope the toboggan or carriage may have rollers g,and be provided with brake-shoes 0,7 cont-rolled by a togglejoint, I),'and handle p by the actors on the same, as indicated in Fig. 8. In thiscase the actors must look out for their own safety, the stoppingof thecarriage being accomplished by applying the brakes O. These various de-vvices are shown and described to indicate a number of ways in which ourinvention may be pnt into practice; but we prefer that shown in Figs. 1to 4, inclusive, owing to their simplicity and dnrability,as well asbeing capable of producing amore realistic effect.

It is evident that while it is our object to arrest the travel of thetoboggan inrfull view of the audience, we may, however, allow thetoboggan to travel across the stage and disappear from View among thescenes on the opposite side of the stage from where it started. Thiswould be accomplished by inaking'the side wings to shield the part C upto the lowermost roller, L, in Fig. I.

The apparatus may be modified in various ways without departing fromVour invention.

Having now described our invention,what We claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isx 1. In theatrical apparatus, thecombination of an inclined plane, a slide or carriage tolrun down saidincline, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conformto the incline of the plane.

2. vIn theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, aslideor carriage to Irun down said incline, a rope, chain, or cable tocontrol the descent of the slide or carriage, and a scene having itsupper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane. f

3. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, aslide or carriage to run down said incline, a rope, chain, or cable tocontrol the descent of the slide or carriage, a windlass to wind up saidcable to bring its end to the top of the incline, and a scene having itsupper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane.

4. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, aslideor carriage to run down said incline, a rope, chain, or cable to controlthe descent of the slide or carriage, a windlass to wind up said cableto bring its end to the top of the incline, a brake to control theunwinding of the cable, and a scene having its upper edge made tosubstantially In place of the rope shown in Figs. l and 4' conform tothe incline of the plane.

5. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, aslide or carriage to run down said incline, a rope, chain, or cable tocontrol the descent of the slide or carriage, a brake to regulate thetravel of the cable, and

a scene having its upper edge made to sub-` stantially conform to theincline of the plane.

6. In theatrical apparatus, the combinationY of an inclined plane, aslide or carriage to run down said incline, a toboggan removably at- IOOIIO

IIS

IZO

tached to the slide or carriage, and a scene having its upper edge madeto substantially conform to the incline of the plane.

7. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, aslide or carriage to run down said incline, and a scene having its upperedge made to substantially conform to the inoline of the plane andprojecting sufficiently high above the inclined plane and its carriageor slide to shield it from the audience.

8. A toboggan-slide for theatrical purposes, consisting of an inclinedplane having a steep grade and terminating in full view of the audience,in combination with a slide or carriage adapted to run upon saidincline, means, substantially as set forth, to arrest the slide at thefoot of the incline, and a scene having its upper edge made tosubstantially conform to the incline of the plane.

9. A toboggan-slide for theatrical purposes,

consisting of an inclined plane having a steep grade and terminating ina slight upward in eline at the bottom, which is in full vieW of theaudience, in combination With a slide or carriage adapted to run uponsaid incline, means, substantially as set forth, to arrest the slide atthe foot of the incline, and a scene having its upper edge made tosubstantially conform to the incline of the plane.

10. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane havinga substantiallyhorizontal part both at top and bottom, a scene to screenthe inclined-plane structure, and a slide or carriage to run upon said.inclined plane.

11. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, aslide or carriage to run down said incline, a suitable braking device,substantially as set forth, to arrest the slide or carriage at the footof the inclined plane, and a scene having its upper edge made tosubstantially conform to the incline of the plane.

12. In theatrical apparatus, a toboggan-slide or inclined plane, incombination with a slide or carriage adapted to slide or run down saidinclined plane, and a toboggan detachably se` cured to said slide orcarriage.`

13. In theatrical apparatus, a toboggan-slide or inclined plane, inAcombination With a slide 'or carriage adapted to slide or run down saidinclined plane, suitable means, as set forth, to elevate the carriage orslide to the top of the incline, and a toboggan detachabl y secured tosaid slide or carriage.

14. In theatrical apparatus, a toboggan-slide or inclined plane, incombination with a slide or carriage adapted to slide or run down saidinclined plane, suitable means, as set forth, to automatically elevatethe carriage or slide to the top of the incline, and a toboggandetachably secured to said slide or carriage.

15. In theatrical apparatus, a tobogganslide or inclined plane formed insections and connected together to form one complete structure, incombination with a scene which conforms to the side elevation of theinclined plane structure.

16. The combination of the two slide-rails A A, set on an incline, withthe slide G, having runners g to run upon said side rails, and adetachable toboggan, M, substantially as and tor the purpose specified.

In testimony ofwhichinvention I hereunto set my hand.

VILLIAM A. MESTAYER. Vitnesses:

Jos. A. OTT,- CHAs. W. SUMNER. In testimony of Which invention Ihereunto set my hand.

HENRY PINCUS.

Witnesses:

RIOHD. S. CHILD, J r., '1%. M. HUNTER.

